


Take Me Out

by Rina (rinadoll)



Category: A League of Their Own (1992)
Genre: Baseball, Canon Continuation, F/M, Female Friendship, Post-Canon, Romance, Tide of History Challenge, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:21:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28142286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinadoll/pseuds/Rina
Summary: Dottie is back in Rockford for keeps. Is it everything she wanted?
Relationships: Jimmy Dugan/Dottie Hinson
Comments: 12
Kudos: 24
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	Take Me Out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Maidenjedi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maidenjedi/gifts).



> I was so delighted to get your signup! I love these characters, and I hope you enjoy this. Merry Yuletide!

Dottie slipped into second season spring training with as many doubts as she had when leaving Oregon. She’d left the team twice now, and wasn’t sure she’d be welcomed a third.

Mr. Lowenstein had sent one last letter, offering a raise, a week earlier. It had come at exactly the right time and she accepted before she had thought it out. The league was happy. Was she? Would her team be? Would…everyone be?

All around her, girls greeted each other loudly and jubilantly, excited to be back after months apart. When her returning teammates saw her, she was the recipient of hugs, back slaps, and enthusiasm. There was one answer. 

It was hard to say who was more surprised to see her, Kit or Jimmy. Neither looked particularly overjoyed at first. But after a shocked pause, Kit bounded over to greet her, which was nice after their World Series truce and a few letters exchanged over winter, and then was off again after a promise to catch up later.

Jimmy was frozen a beat longer. “Well, hello there,” he said, slipping his thumbs into his pockets. 

“Jimmy,” she said, nodding.

“How’s Bob?” he asked.

“He’s in Oregon,” she answered, reflexively touching her bare ring finger, his eyes following her movement. “I’m here.”

He nodded. “Well, you just stay the whole season this time,” he said. “Can’t guarantee there will be a spot for you a fourth time.”

“I plan to stay,” she said shortly, and he nodded. 

She purposefully hadn’t let herself wonder what would happen when she returned, and maybe that was a blessing. They returned to the camaraderie of last season, without any of the fire.

Now that she was there by her own choice, things felt different. She found herself making better friends with other players, returning women like Alice and Evelyn and new like Honey and Es. Last season, she’d been a married woman and a big sister. This season, she was just Dottie, and discovering what that meant.

She and Jimmy still shared bus seats more often than not, sketching out plays and arguing over lineups. With his coaching from the start, Dottie quickly found herself leading the league in runs and doubles, with a batting average that stayed in the top three. It was exhilarating. 

She was letting herself revel in the joy of the game, but something in the experience was still missing. And not just because the rest of the team was finding it harder to keep up against the expanded league and new players.

They finished the season in third place, Kenosha and the new Milwaukee Chicks facing off in the playoffs. There’d been no way for them to pull out of the early season slump, but it was still crushing. A small part of Dottie was glad that Racine hadn’t made it in, either.

“You going back to Oregon?” Jimmy asked on their ride back to Rockford, the whole bus subdued and quiet for once.

“Nah,” Dottie said. “Alice, Evelyn, and I found a woman looking for boarders with room for all of us and Stilwell. We’re going to stick around until next season.”

“You’re going to live with Stilwell?” Jimmy asked. “Will you both survive ‘til spring training? Or will dark horse Alice do him in?”

“Dark horse Alice is the one who tamed him,” Dottie said, offering him a soda bottle. “She decided his screaming was bad luck this year. I don’t know what she did, but he’s crazy about her now. And screaming less.”

“Bribery?” Jimmy guessed and Dottie shrugged. “Now that you mention it, I guess he hasn’t been a demon lately. Just a hellion.”

“Here’s to small successes,” Dottie said, and they clinked bottles.

*********  
It came as a bit of a surprise, but she really enjoyed boarding house life. She’d never lived on her own before the league, having gone from her parents to Bob’s and back to her parents. She had time to herself and plenty of people to spend time with, which was a balance she enjoyed. 

She, Alice, and Evelyn settled into their new home. Alice was hired as a phys ed teacher at the local school, Evelyn found a job in the factories, and Dottie found herself back on a dairy farm. But at least as hired help she only worked 8 daylight hours instead of the pre-dawn chores. 

Jimmy settled into an apartment two blocks away.

“What do you mean, you’re not getting a job?” Dottie asked, the ball cracking off her bat. 

Jimmy caught it with some effort. “I got enough money saved for now,” he said, pitching it back to her, a low knuckle curve. “Hate seeing people’s faces go from recognizing me to wondering why I’m not overseas, anyway.” 

She smacked it back at him. “Glad you didn’t drink it away,” she said, settling back into position.

He threw her a changeup and she missed. “Turns out Miss Cuthbert wasn’t totally on the up and up,” he said as she threw the ball back. “She only gave me part of my paycheck to drink away, saved the rest. She decided I’m responsible enough to get it now, so I’m pretty well set until spring.” He tossed up the ball and caught it, deciding what to offer next. 

“Good on her,” Dottie said, tapping the dirt. “Come on, old man, what do you have now?”

He snapped her a slider, and it connected with a satisfying smack. He caught it and pulled off his mitt. “All right, switch.” 

She passed the bat off and took the ball. She’d never been a pitcher, that had always been Kit, but she could get the ball where it needed to go.

She wound up and let it fly. Jimmy cracked it out of the field and towards the street.

Dottie put her hands on her hips and glared. “That’s not helping me catch, Jimmy,” she scolded.

He shrugged sheepishly. “Had to get it out of my system,” he said. “When I see a beautiful woman, I have to impress her with my one skill. It just happens.” 

She rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the resulting flush.

“It’s all right, we have plenty more.” He tossed her a ball and she pitched it again. This time it was a grounder that she fielded quickly. 

They settled into what became their routine, running through drills and practices several times a week, which Evelyn and Alice sometimes attended. Even Stilwell got in on it, loving to send wild throws at or far away from the players, depending on his mood. 

Every evening they practiced, he’d walk her home. And from that first time on, something would always crackle between them at the door. One or both of them would hesitate, the butterflies would come, and one or both of them would move away and that was the end of it. 

“So you and Coach Jimmy, right?” Evelyn asked one night, as they all knit and mended by the fire. 

“No, no,” Dottie said quickly, but she focused closely on the sock on her small needles. 

“Coulda fooled me,” Alice agreed, fussing with her pin curls.

“You should cut it shorter,” Dottie said, Alice’s movement catching her eye. “Then your natural curls would be enough of a style.”

“Not after JoJo got cut for hers,” Alice said, shaking her head. 

“She didn’t really?” Dottie asked, sock dropping to her lap in her surprise. Jo’s bob had been short, but becoming.

“Last day,” Alice confirmed. “She wrote me a letter. And since I want to avoid Saskatchewan for a good long time, I’m letting mine grow.”

“We’ll find you something real easy to do with it,” Evelyn promised. “And anyway, Dottie, you didn’t do too badly with your first one, unlike my ex-louse. I’d go for him if he wasn’t halfway across the country.” She paused. “He wasn’t a louse, right?”

“No, never,” Dottie said, counting stitches to find her place in the pattern again. 

“Why did you break it off, then?” Alice asked. 

Dottie felt uncomfortable under the curious gazes of her friends. “We dated for a long time, just because we got on nicely,” she said finally. “Almost five years.”

“No way!” Evelyn exclaimed, and Alice looked thoughtful.

“Everything was fine the way it was,” Dottie said, and shrugged. “Then he got drafted and we got married right away and then he was gone. It was all just too fast.”

“Was he not any good, you know,” Evelyn asked, waggling her eyebrows as Alice giggled. 

Dottie flushed. “He was fine. I just...realized I didn’t want babies with him. We made a mistake because of the war.”

“You don’t just trade away a good player unless you have a better replacement,” Evelyn said. “Coach is the only man we ever see around you.”

Dottie flushed harder. “I wondered if…,” she began hesitantly, but found she couldn’t say it aloud. “I decided I--we were both done settling for just fine. So I came back.” 

Evelyn nodded. “Now that, I hear ya loud and clear on,” she said. “To the single life!” She raised her cup of tea and Dottie and Alice followed.

Dottie couldn’t get the conversation out of her thoughts, however. They saw it. Did Jimmy? Was he just not interested in her? Too old, too used? He was older and even more used, but men could be funny like that. She knew he respected her as a ball player, and she was pretty sure as a friend. And there were those moments at the door. 

She’d never been good at flirting or dating. She didn’t know how to play games. And frankly, she didn’t want to. But she wanted a man she could feel excited about, and so far, Jimmy was the only one who ever had made her feel like that. 

But autumn turned to winter and they stayed in the same holding pattern, neither willing to take that step at the front door. Practices were shorter as twilight encroached earlier every day, but she enjoyed their conversations as they got to know each other better, beyond ball players and teammates. 

Quiet evenings at home began to include Alice’s friend Louise, another teacher in town. She and Evelyn enjoyed helping Alice find low maintenance hairstyles, and Lou was good at helping Alice learn them. 

Stilwell had full run of the boarding house's basement, and tired himself out without causing too much trouble most days. They all took turns caring for him, and he was much more palatable when not stuck in a bus and small room.

Not that Jimmy believed it.

“I’m not saying he’s a spawn of the devil,” he said, finishing chalking out baselines for Dottie’s line and footwork drills. “I’m just saying that it takes more strength than a child should have to smash a baseball bat into that many pieces and he clearly had some help from the underworld.”

“It was impressive, I’ll give him that,” Dottie said. 

She crouched into her stance and popped up to imitate a throw. She repeated it, checking to make sure she landed centered on the line each time, and adjusting as needed.

“You should come for dinner tomorrow and see him on his best behavior,” Dottie said as she finished the line and started again. "On Fridays, Alice and Lou wear him out with phys ed activities, and Mrs. Ballard makes a big dinner and dessert because she knows there won’t be any kitchen incidents with him out.”

“I’m shocked you all haven’t been kicked out,” Jimmy said, shaking his head.

“Mrs. B had five boys and now has four grandsons,” Dottie said, breathing harder as she finished. “Miraculously, she enjoys him.”

Jimmy stood to her right with a baseball as she walked back up the line. “Maybe she’s as addled as Evelyn is,” he said and Dottie laughed. 

She dropped back into her secondary crouch, imagining bases loaded, and popped up, grabbing the ball from Jimmy’s hand. Her fingers brushed his palm and she wobbled the pick up, which led to a lousy throw to the pretend base.

“Well,” Jimmy said. “That was terrible.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, flexing her fingers. She couldn’t remember the last time they’d touched. She wouldn’t forget this one in a hurry, though: she could still feel him.

She dropped back down and tried again, keeping her fingers clear of him. This time she could feel her arm in the right position for a solid throw and let it fly. 

“Good,” he said, grabbing another ball. “Keep that up.”

Snowflakes started to lazily drift down, sparkling in the twilight under the streetlamps as they finished the drill. 

By the time they headed into the grass to hunt down the baseballs for the third and final time, the dusting on the ground was sticking and thickening. They both slid a little as they gathered them back up, and slowly made their way for their gear. 

Unfortunately, the sidewalks weren’t much better. After a brief hesitation, Jimmy gave her a little smile. “I’d offer you my arm,” he said, as they slipped down the street, “but I don’t want to be responsible for taking out the league’s best player in a career ending injury.”

They slowly made their way to Dottie’s, the quiet feeling companionable. The snow was falling harder, and looked beautiful in the glow from windows and streetlamps. It was almost as pretty as a movie.

They paused, as always, on the front porch. 

“So,” Jimmy began, a little awkwardly as he rubbed his hands together. “Dinner tomorrow?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Dottie said. “If you’d like to come, I’ll tell Mrs. B.”

“I’d like that,” he said. He leaned towards her, which was a new move for them. Dottie shuffled a bit closer and they both jumped as the door flew open.

“Oh!” Alice exclaimed, looking embarrassed. She glanced behind her and back to them. “Oh, I didn’t realize.”

They both stared at her and she bit her lip. “Um, the radio says there’s going to be a blizzard tonight. Just thought I’d...share that.” She closed the door as suddenly as she’d opened it and Jimmy groaned out a laugh. 

“Right.” He ran his hand over his hat. “Guess I should try and make it home before it really gets going.” He gave her a rueful smile. “See you tomorrow, then.” He turned to leave.

“Jimmy,” she said, and he turned back. Before she could lose her nerve, she stepped forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Call when you get home, let me know you made it safely.”

He nodded, silently, and she let herself in.

She hadn’t even gotten her coat off when Alice and Evelyn were on top of her, squealing. 

“He’ll hear you,” she hissed, glancing at the door. 

“We peeked!” Evelyn said gleefully, pointing to the narrow windows along the front door. “You did it! You kissed him! I knew you had the trade in mind.”

“I didn’t think it would happen,” Alice admitted. “I couldn’t believe what I opened up on. I’m so glad I wasn’t bad luck!”

“We’ll see what happens tomorrow,” Dottie said, trying to keep her excitement tempered. “He’s coming to dinner, we’ll see what happens then.”

She wished she could let herself be as excited as the other girls, but she couldn’t, not until something was settled with her and Jimmy. Maybe he’d regret that lean. Maybe she’d regret the kiss. Once she knew where they both stood, then maybe. 

She did let herself have one delighted laugh into her pillow before bed, though. 

The next morning, she woke to a winter wonderland and Stilwell running through the house cheering. Easily a foot of snow had fallen in the night, with more still coming down. 

Her first thought was that there was no way Jimmy would make it to dinner. Jimmy, who kept a bachelor's living, had said on the phone that he was looking forward to a home cooked meal. Especially since Mrs. B had been saving everyone’s meat rations to make a big beef and lentil shepherd’s pie. But there was no chance now. 

She closed her eyes, disappointed beyond measure, and sighed. 

There was nothing she could do about it, though, so she wrapped herself in her housecoat, straightened out her hair scarf, and intercepted Stilwell in the hallway.

“Snow snow snow SNOW!” He cheered and bounced around her. 

“Let’s find some breakfast before you head out there,” Dottie said, holding out her hand, and they headed to the kitchen.

Mrs. B had coffee, tea, and Ovaltine made as she scooped out spiced raisin oatmeal. Stilwell dove into his breakfast with gusto while Dottie sipped her tea. Alice came in, dressed in a well worn ski suit, and clapped her hands. 

“I’m ready when you are, angel,” she said, and Stillwell had to be stopped from pouring the oatmeal down his throat to finish faster.

Evelyn, never a morning person, stumbled in as they headed out the door. “Thank goodness for Alice,” she said, dropping into a chair and clutching the cup of coffee Dottie slid at her. “I’m real sorry if the snow keeps Coach away, though.”

Mrs. Ballard clucked. “Mark my words, he’ll find a way to get here,” she said. “I know boys. When there’s a girl they’re sweet on involved, they’ll do anything.”

Dottie managed a smile. “We’ll see, Mrs. B.” 

She and Evelyn helped tidy the kitchen and then began on the rest of the house. It wasn’t part of their board, but they all liked to chip in extra to make up for Stilwell’s exuberance. 

With the streets impassable, no one had to leave for work or errands. When the housework was finished, Dottie changed from her housecoat into a cozy quilted robe. It wasn’t the day she’d hoped for, but it was the perfect day to rest and relax with no fear of visitors.

She curled up on the couch with more tea and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which she’d been trying to finish for a week. Periodically, she’d look up and take in the softly falling snow. Alice and Stilwell had built their family of snowmen, and were now shoveling. Stilwell was keeping up surprisingly well for his height compared to the shovel.

When they trooped in the back door for lunch, Lou was with them. 

“Look who made it!” Alice said, beaming at them. 

“How could I miss a fine dinner like Mrs. B’s shepherd’s pie?” Lou asked as they all took off their snow gear. “Or a snow day with my main man.” She tousled Stilwell’s hair and shared a smile with Alice. 

“How on earth did you get here?” Evelyn asked, pulling out an extra plate.

“I skied over!” she said cheerfully. 

Evelyn had made sandwiches for everyone, and more Ovaltine to warm them up. Lunch was lively and bright, but Dottie kept glancing out the window. The wind had picked up, blowing snow into bigger drifts.

Alice and Lou wrangled Stilwell upstairs for a nap, with promises of more snow play later, and Evelyn joined Dottie by the fire with her manicure set.

There was a rapping on the door almost half an hour later. 

“Can you get that?” Evelyn asked, waving her wet nails. 

Dottie glanced down at herself and winced. “I suppose.” She grabbed a shawl and wrapped it over her robe. 

She hid her body behind the door as she cracked it open. “Can I--” her voice dropped off. 

“Dot? Who is it?” Evelyn called. 

“Just me,” Jimmy called back, his eyes never leaving Dottie’s. 

Dottie could hear Evelyn running up the stairs. “I didn’t think you’d make it,” she said. 

“I borrowed snowshoes from my landlord,” Jimmy said. “I couldn’t miss dinner, now could I?”

Dottie let the door fall open before remembering. “I’m a mess,” she said, gesturing. “Come in and get warm while I change.” 

Jimmy stepped in and shut the door behind him, but grabbed her hand when she made to flee. “You look beautiful,” he said firmly, and swept her up into a kiss. 

Dottie leaned into it, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself close. She couldn’t imagine being anywhere but in his arms. They stood there, enveloped in each other until, finally, reality intruded and she realized that the cold and wet from his snowy jacket was seeping through the shawl and robe. 

She pushed him away gently and grinned at him, electricity pulsing through her body. She’d never had a kiss like that, had never known she could feel like this before. “Now I really have to change,” she said, brushing off the shawl. “Go sit by the fire and warm up. Evelyn is upstairs, eavesdropping with the others, so we’ll have the room to ourselves.”

This time, she got away and changed into wool slacks and her favorite sweater. There was no time to brush out her set, so she traded her kerchief for a nice turban, unrolled one curl and pinned it into a roll.

“Lipstick,” Evelyn hissed from the door, and Dottie rolled her eyes. She waved her in, and Lou and Alice tiptoed in behind. She did slide on some lipstick and mascara, as the girls tidied her hair, but protested against Evelyn’s order of a full face and a dress. 

“I can’t just leave him down there,” she hissed. 

“Fine, fine,” Evelyn said. “We’ll keep Stilwell and Mrs. B out of there and I’ll keep scarce, okay?”

“Thanks, everyone,” Dottie said, finally letting her excitement show. Her sunny smile was met with the same from her friends, and it felt so good to have their support.

“Good luck,” Alice said as Evelyn shoved her out of the room. 

When Dottie got downstairs, the radio was softly playing Harry James, and Stilwell was sitting next to Jimmy with a mug of Ovaltine. 

“Stilwell!” Dottie exclaimed and there was loud stomping behind her as her friends charged down the stairs. 

“Got him,” Lou announced, tugging Stilwell up as Alice loudly reminded him that they were going to make maple snow candy. He took off with them in pursuit. 

“Oh, let me just,” Evelyn said, awkwardly, clearing up her set and dashing out after them. 

“That was some production,” Jimmy said. Dottie had been blushing at the flurry of activity but started laughing, and Jimmy joined in.

She dropped next to him on the couch, and he slid his arm around her. “He actually seemed like a human boy this time,” he continued. “I guess you’re right about him.”

“He has his moments,” Dottie agreed. “I’m glad you still came today. Your knees all right?”

“Yeah, yeah, all fine,” Jimmy said. “But Dottie, I want--I wouldn’t have missed today. Seeing you is worth an hour of learning how to snowshoe over here.”

“An hour, huh?” she asked, grinning. 

“Or two,” Jimmy said, grinning back. “I won’t say how long it took to get here, either. Gotta preserve my legacy as an athlete.”

“I’m glad you came,” she said again, quietly, and rested her head against his shoulder. 

“I wouldn’t miss you for the world,” he said. 

They sat quietly for a minute before he cleared his throat. “But you have to know, I’m not too good at this, you know, this romance stuff,” he said, awkwardly.

She took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “Don’t worry about that, Jimmy,” she said. “Neither am I. We’ll figure it out, both of us.”

They spent the afternoon curled up together, talking and kissing and, despite everyone's best efforts, spending time with the whole house. Mrs. B outdid herself on dinner, and fell in love with Jimmy based on his appetite alone. There were no leftovers.

That evening, they all gathered around the fire, laughing and drinking toddies as they shared stories from the last two seasons. Dottie had to covertly kick Jimmy a few times to keep the stories appropriate for their eldest and youngest members, but the evening had a joy and energy that she felt deeply.

As she looked around at her friends, she slid her arm through Jimmy’s and rested against his shoulder again. This was what the season had been missing. Now she had baseball and Jimmy, and the future was looking bright.


End file.
